I've had the ARC for The Secrets of Blueberries, Brothers, Moose & Me since January, but I've been waiting for the start of summer to read it - because it's a summer-based book, and I wanted my surroundings to reflect the book.

Nickerson has crafted a lovely story on the challenges of growing up and how learning to adapt to change, can help a person grow a little stronger, and understand the world a little better.

Two-second recap:

The Secrets of Blueberries, Brothers, Moose & Me is a perfect book for summer. Twelve-year-old Missy's struggles to adapt to a gradually changing world around her, are wholly relatable and conveyed with the type of gentle good humor that readers of any age will understand and empathize with.

Synopsis:

Determined to make some extra money, twelve-year-old Missy and her older brother Patrick get summer jobs picking blueberries at a local farm. For Missy, blueberry picking quickly becomes about more than just money—it's the perfect distraction from the fact that her two best friends have gone off to summer camp without her and her dad is getting remarried. Why can't everything go back to the way it used to be? Back to normal? Soon, though, Missy discovers that the summer is full of secrets: the secrets to making her family feel whole again; the secrets to keeping her two best friends from changing and leaving her behind; the secrets of a local farm's blood feud; and most importantly, the secrets of blueberries.

Author Sara Nickerson infuses warmth and humor into this tender coming-of-age story about finding something special within yourself and a place to call your own, in even the most tumultuous of times.

Full review:

As someone who struggled quite a bit with the idea of change when she was younger, I always appreciate books that help younger readers work out how to accept those changes in their lives. Which is why, The Secrets of Blueberries, Brothers, Moose & Me made it quickly onto my must-read books for 2015.

Missy is a twelve-year-old girl, who is slowly starting to see the world around her shift into something she doesn't fully understand. Her older brother Patrick is starting to focus more on his appearance and pulling away from her; their father is getting remarried, and even her two best friends are starting to pursue different interests.

So when Missy and Patrick find a summer job picking blueberries on a nearby farm, Missy thinks that this is a perfect opportunity to remain close to her brother. However, secrets involving a long-time feud on the farm and the blueberries themselves, eventually begin to teach Missy the importance of learning to accept change gracefully, and how even when things do change, there are often wonderful elements that will also remain the same.

Nickerson's tale of a girl who struggles to adapt to a world shifting around her, is gentle and wholly relatable. Missy, like anyone who has struggled while approaching burgeoning adolescence, hasn't fully adapted to the idea of things becoming complicated in her expanding life; she still wants to hold onto the black-and-white simplicity of having a set family unit, and a certain group of friends.

So it's fairly unsurprising that as the summer progresses and things begin to change, Missy begins to act out. Nickerson does a great job of showing Missy's devastatation at realizing that many of the things that she once took for granted - e.g. her friends always sharing her same interests - might no longer be true, and her stalwart determination to fight back and/or hide against those changes.

But even as Missy indulges in typical rebellious behavior, Nickerson is careful to color her actions with empathy. Because of Nickerson's thoughtful characterizations, readers understand that when Missy does things like try and disrupt her father's impending wedding, it's out of childish loyalty to her mother. Similarly, we also understand her desire to one-up her brother during their work on the farm, and how at the end of the day, these are all the actions of a girl who just doesn't know how to cope.

But much like real life, it's outside events that show Missy the dangers of refusing to learn how to adapt. Nickerson's subplot involving a long-held rivalry on the blueberry farm between two brothers, does a nice job of showing the dangers of letting changes become a negative and long-term problem, and it's a rewarding moment when Missy and those around her, recognize this fact and vow to work together as they move forward.

Final verdict:

At a time when media outlets are praising the Pixar film Inside Out for helping to better explain and open a dialogue about children's emotions, I would say that The Secrets of Blueberries, Brothers, Moose & Me absolutely also accomplishes as much, in literary form.

Sara Nickerson has written a lovely, introspective look at how change begins to happen when you're on the cusp of young adulthood, and the various feelings - both good and bad - that may come along with those changes. Missy's journey is both a gentle reminder and a primer on that turbulent period in life, and a great read for readers of all ages.

Highly recommend for all ages, full stop. But especially recommend for parents who may be struggling to find books to connect with a child going through similar growing challenges - Missy is a relatable, likable heroine that help them realize that they're not alone.

About the author:

Sara Nickerson started her career as a writer and producer for television and film. During a screenwriting class at the University of Washington she wrote her first novel How To Disappear Completely and Never Be Found. She lives in Seattle with her husband and sons.

This sounds great, especially as I'm craving more summery reads. The fact that she picks blueberries drew me in. My first job at 12 was picking strawberries, so I'd read this just for that. But I love what you said about how it deals with her emotions too.

Loving this book already! (And I haven't actually read it, which is actually saying something.) I remember going blueberry picking when I was a little kid. It was SO fun. And getting a job for blueberry picking? Not my first choice as a career, but there's always a possibility. Thanks for the recommendation! :-)

~Cindy

Kay Mooney

6/24/2015 06:12:07 am

I hope the libraries pick this up. Parents are always asking about good reads for their children.